Skipping Stones is a work of non-fiction written in the style of a memoir by author M. J. Blaeser. Containing some brief instances of explicit language usage, this memoir is intended for adult audiences and features themes such as personal confidence, coping with illnesses and special needs of others, and rising up with new self-esteem amid the challenges which life throws at us. Melissa expresses her difficulties and the journey towards newfound strength, one which is catalyzed when her husband Jeff is diagnosed with colon cancer. What follows is an honest account of keeping it together through intense struggle, and how Melissa re-emerged from the fires of the forges on the other side of such trials.

Author M. J. Blaeser has crafted a highly emotive, dramatic and inspiring memoir for readers who want to experience the struggles of others, but also learn how to overcome and find new strength. Like Melissa, the protagonist in the true-life story, Blaeser takes us back into her past with a well-penned narrative that lives through every moment in real time rather than looking back or taking us out of the perspective. It is this sense of narrative urgency that keeps us grounded in the raw and honest expressions of emotion, rooting for Melissa to pull through some very dire circumstances indeed. What results is a truly inspiring narrative that readers can take heart from, and overall I would highly recommend Skipping Stones to memoir fans from all walks of life.

MJ Blaeser’s autobiographical account as told in Skipping Stones describes her early years as an adopted child, a difficult relationship with her mother, but she is close friends to her brother Gabe. Later she meets and marries Jeff, a calm, quiet, yet private man from a family background of love, affection, and kindness. Life throws them a curveball when their son Wyatt is diagnosed as autistic at the age of two. Further trauma appears when it’s discovered that Jeff has colon cancer, and hovers on the brink. Throughout this time, Melissa struggles to cope with motherhood to a special needs child, carer to a seriously ill partner, and losing focus at her full-time job. She is also trying to juggle overseeing their new house being built while coping with a pre-schooler in a small apartment. She strives for perfection but can’t find it despite numerous attempts through yoga, meditation, friendship groups, and further study at college.

Skipping Stones by MJ Blaeser is a woman’s desperate attempt to live the perfect life. It’s what society suggests we should all experience and deserve in the modern-day western world. But life is not like that and too often we are found wanting and comparing ourselves to others who seem to ‘have it all altogether’. MJ battles to cope with her inner feelings, refusing to ask for help, trying to make others happy, and sacrificing herself to make this all happen. Despite an amazing support system, no financial worries, and several breaks away, often overseas, she is dissatisfied. One moment she wants control, the next she wishes Jeff would sit in the driving seat. The author takes us deep into her world of terror, her experiences, her failings, her memories of early abuse, and her inability to relate to many of the people she meets. She finally finds the answer at a four-day workshop which changes her pattern of thinking and sets her on the right road for the future.